The Arizona sentinel., 1887-09-17

w dS uSCNl OlNl u ullho hOLO cut up, and particularly the ample skirts, then in use, of saddles. If the owner of such a saddle did not speed fly utilize its heavy flaps for his own use some one else would steal them. Shoeless men could not resist the temptation of such a saddle, and in- stances were frequent where the owner, having left his horse saddled and tied to a post, returned to find his saddle innocent of skirts. Such thefts oc- cured even outside of churches. The flap of the saddle went out of use, and the rawhide saddle without it came in use universally. Sole leather became so scarce and high that the people resorted to wood as substitute for the soles of shoes. These wooden bottOms," as they were called, con sisted of a sole and heel all in solid piece. It was cut out of maple or gum wood as arul3, sometimes with knife, aglin by rude machinery La-er such wood b)tt)ms were sold by a number of expert makers, who kept on hand various szeS of mems we ar Farm hands wore them largely. From the middle the sole turned up toward the toe, so that the foot in walking would have a rolling motion forward, which was necessary. as the rigid sole could not bend. Into a groove cut around the upper edge of the wooden bottom the upper leather was secured by means of wooden pegs or iron tacks, when the latter could be had. It was found that the wood bottom male a dry, warm shoe, and after a little practice one was worn without special inconvenience The heel and sole were always protected by narrow strips of iron around the edges to pre- vent rapid wear. The shoes made a great deal of noise when used in the house or on hard ground, and Il nights when there was stiffness in the air and the ground was frozen hard, the footsteps of brisk walkers thus shod were easily heard at a distance of half amile. Old men had difficulty in ge5- ting accustomed to this rude and new footgear, and one venerable man de- clared that he wished the "pl agued things had never been agitated." In snow walking with these shoes was difficult as the snow ''balled" as it does in horses hoof
 Kerosene oil had not been in use a 1,o hooro, hr1f had yet practically displaced the can dle. The lack of oil rendered the lamps useless, and the tallow candle became supreme. In the matter of light, as in other things, there were inventions. One of these was taper, which was made by drawing a thick wick of loosely twisted cotton through a pan ot melted beeswaX and rosin. This operation was repeated until the wick. which was generally twenty to fifty yards in length, was the size of a pencil and looked like a rope of yellow wax. While it was yet warm, this wick was wound on a bottle or a corn cob often in fantastic shapes. One end turned up, was lighted, and the taper was placed upon the table at supper time, or for a reading light. Such taper burned slowly, but yet had to be watched and turned up. From time to time the burning end was unwound and pulled up. Some times there was carelessness and the entire taper caught on fire from the wick. Another device for light was a saucer or platter of melted lard, in which floated ball from the sycamore or cotton wood tree. These balls, which were dry and absorbent and quite inf1ammable, burned readily, act ing as a wick and keeping the lard melted. One ball gave fully as much light as an ordinary kerosene lamp. The tallow dip, the wax taper and the candle each had their advocates. Other people, who desired more pow erful illumination, returned to an even more primitive custom and use pine knots, which in the fireplace made a glare which made room all ablaze with light.
 People, in the country, particular ly, were put to great straits for writ ing paper and envelopes. All old let ters were resurrected, and all extra sheets of paper removed therefrom. Old letters written on one side of the paper were again brought out, and the other side used. Old books were cut up, and the paper taken for this purpose. Envelopes were cut out of any kind of paper by the use of a sharp knife and a wooden pattern. Cherry tree or peach tree gum furn- ished the mucilage, being dissolved in vinegar. These envelopes were ofte n made by children. and sold at from three dollars to six dollars per pack ! in Confederate or State currency. Many letters were mailed in the old style of a century since, without en- velopes. Goose quills furnished pens, as of yore, and buzzard and turkey quills were also used. Polkberries, elderberries and the gals of the red oak tree furnished ink, coperas being used in the solution. Sharpened bar: of lead were used as pencils. while fol slate pencils old slates were cut up in to narrow strips and rounded with z knife. Occasionally a partially cin
 dered bone of a chicken was used a:
 a slate pencil, but proved rather too
 soft. As for school books, any kinC
 were used, many of them being half ;
 century old. Occasionally in tho
 country schools no two books could be